Voter Registration Deadline is January 11th!

If you're like me and recently moved, you need to act fast to change your voter registration if you intend to vote in New York's primary election on February 5th.

New York's voter registration deadline is JANUARY 11th, 2008.

This deadline applies to all first-time voters, voters who have changed their addresses since the last time they voted, and voters who have legally changed their names. Women, if you have recently been married and taken your spouse's name, please note that you must change your voter registration by this deadline.

You can download the form to change your registration as a .pdf file here at the NYC Board of Elections' website. Free postage is included with the form. All you have to do is staple or tape together the two sheets into an envelope an drop it in the mail. (Note: It says not to staple or tape the form, but I confirmed with the Board of Elections that these instructions do not apply to the online form.)

You can also register in person at the borough office of the Board of Elections, which is on the 4th Floor of 345 Adams Street in downtown Brooklyn.

If you have any questions at all about voting, call 212-VOTE-NYC (212-868-3692).

In order to be eligible to vote, you must be an American citizen, have lived in NYC for at least 30 days, and be at least 18 by February 5th.

Everyone, don't miss out on your chance to vote, or worse, vote illegally like Ann Coulter did in Florida.

The fact that this is a VERY IMPORTANT election goes without say, but it is especially important for New York City primary voters. Usually by the time the primary roles around to New York, both the Democratic and Republican candidates have long been a foregone conclusion and we get the pleasure of rubber-stamping the earlier states' choices. But this year, with both nominations locked in dead heats and New York's primary bumped up to February 5th, for the first time in my lifetime, at least, the votes of New Yorkers will actually play an essential part in determining who will be the two candidates for President.

Please, please, please play your part in the democratic process that, despite the calamities of the last seven years, is still the cornerstone of our lives as Americans. You can still make a difference! Let us not forget the lessons of Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004.

Hey, The Optimist is very optimistic about 2008 and his top ten reasons for being so this year all have to do with the fact that Bush will be out of office.

At least, I think he'll be.